Spanish Grand Prix Betting Tips & Preview – Sunday 13th May 2018

Lewis Hamilton won his first race of the season in Azerbaijan on 29th April, and now he’s jumped to the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings. He’s just four clear of Sebastian Vettel, while he’s got to keep an eye on Daniel Ricciardo, who has 37 points from just two finishes. If the Australian boosts that form, then he’s a big contender.

There’s obviously going to be a feeling that the Hamilton show will kick on from here, and that this could turn into another Mercedes precession. However, there’s going to be a threat to their reign across the season, with Ferrari and Red Bull both looking promising. Could we see further signs of this open F1 season from this weekend’s result? We saw enough to suggest Hamilton’s place at the top could be challenged in Barcelona.

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Race Info

This is one of Formula 1’s most historic races, having passed its centenary five years ago. The race has been a consistent part of the calendar since Ayrton Senna’s win here in 1986, and it’s a pretty open one looking over the field. While Hamilton has won here twice, so has home favourite Fernando Alonso.

Round

Country

Circuit

Race Distance

5/21

Spain

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

307km / 66 Laps

Schedule

Date

Start Time

Finish Time

Forecast Conditions

TV Coverage

Practice 1

Fri 11th May

10:00

11:30

Dry / 18°

-

Practice 2

Fri 11th May

14:00

15:30

Dry / 20°

-

Practice 3

Sat 12th May

11:00

12:30

Dry / 16°

-

Qualifying

Sat 12th May

14:00

15:00

Dry / 17°

Sky F1

Race

Sun 13th May

14:10

16:10

Dry / 16°

Sky F1

Previous Race Results (2017)

Lewis Hamilton won his second race of the season at this circuit 12 months ago, and he’ll be out to do the same this time around. The Brit finally got into gear last time out, winning in Azerbaijan to start his fightback against Sebastian Vettel. Looking back to last year, he was in inspired form in this Grand Prix in 2017, topping qualifying, winning the race and completing his hat-trick with the fastest lap of the afternoon. Can he produce that kind of display once again to continue his title challenge?

The contenders last time around were the same as they’ll likely be this time around, with Sebastian Vettel finishing second, with Daniel Ricciardo coming in over a minute behind. They were the only ones even close to making a push for the win in Barcelona, and their recent form suggests that they can make another challenge on Sunday.

Position

Driver

Car

Grid Position

Points

1

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

1

25

2

Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari

2

18

3

Daniel Ricciardo

Red Bull

6

15

4

Sergio Perez

Force India

8

12

5

Esteban Ocon

Force India

10

10

6

Nico Hulkenberg

Renault

13

8

7

Carlos Sainz

Toro Rosso

12

6

8

Pascal Wehrlein

Sauber

15

4

9

Daniil Kvyat

Toro Rosso

19

2

10

Romain Grosjean

Haas

14

1

Race News: Will Barcelona Define Season?

While we’re used to the battle between Mercedes and Ferrari, there’s a growing confidence within Red Bull this season. That’s shown in the approach of Max Verstappen, who comes into this race claiming that the race at Barcelona could represent a defining moment in the campaign. With the top three manufacturers all upgrading ahead of this one, we could see a shift in the balance. However, we’re arguably already seeing that given how Ricciardo and Verstappen are prepared to take the game to the big two teams and the two title contenders. Will they be as daring on the circuit this weekend?

Analysis: Will Ferrari Restore Dominance?

Sebastian Vettel may have slipped up in his push for the title, but he’s had a bit of a reversal in fortunes in that time. The Ferrari driver has seen the safety car deployed in back to back races, and that’s played towards his rivals. However, he’s still in touch at the top, and the power of this year’s Ferrari certainly can’t be ruled out.

That’s clear in this season’s qualifying, with Vettel and Ferrari topping qualifying in their last three races. Despite that, they can be backed at 6/4 to take pole yet again, which would be an impressive finish for the German. We expect him to take first spot on the grid as Hamilton struggles to keep pace, with the champion admitting that he has a lot of work left to do in order to get back to his standards from last year. Given that the pair looked neck and neck for a good deal of the 2017 season, we can’t help but see Vettel as the favourite for this weekend and beyond.

Final Verdict: Vettel To Win

We expect Vettel to come out on top this weekend, with Hamilton’s issues with his car becoming clear. He may be coming off the back of a victory, but we still see Vettel as the favourite for this year’s title, and he should be back on course in Barcelona. The German is chasing a third win of the campaign, and we expect him to return to winning ways. His price of 6/4 for maximum points seem generous and well worth grabbing.

We’re also backing Daniel Ricciardo for another podium finish, following his top three placing here last year. While Verstappen is talking up the Red Bull’s power, we think Ricciardo is in a better position to take advantage of that than his Dutch teammate. We’re backing the Australian to make the podium at 11/8.

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